


What Matters Most

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-09
Updated: 2006-08-09
Packaged: 2019-05-15 04:12:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Jed and Abbey have a little trouble celebrating their first Valentines Day at the White House





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

"What do you mean you're going to Chicago?" Abbey looked up from the   
file she was reading and glared at her husband over her eyeglasses.

Jed looked at her where she was sitting on the couch in   
their bedroom, her feet tucked up underneath her. It was the middle   
of the afternoon and Jed had come up to the residence to retrieve a   
file that he had forgotten this morning. He found his wife in there,   
lounging on the couch sipping on a glass of iced-tea, studying a   
file from her office. The sun-light was streaming in through the   
open windows, creating a heavenly glow around her.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" he said, flipping   
through the stack of files until he found the one that he was after,   
not even glancing back at her. "I mean I'm going to Chicago this   
week-end." he told her nonchalantly.

"Well, for how long?" she asked, frowning. Jed glanced up at   
her when he noticed her tone. He sensed that she was on the verge of   
getting angry.

Jed studied her face as he thought back to his schedule. "I   
think we're leaving on Friday evening and coming back on Monday." He   
watched her as she sighed and began to fidget in her seat. She   
seemed to be trying to compose herself, and her smile had long ago   
turned into a frown. "Is there a problem?" he asked her.

Abbey blinked a few times before pulling her glasses off of   
her face and replied, "You know that it's Valentine's day, right?"

"What?" he asked, one look at Abbey told him that was not   
the response she was looking for.

"Sunday is Valentine's day, Jed." she said.

Jed's shoulders fell, he hadn't meant to forget about it.   
He'd already ordered her a present about a month earlier. He'd never   
forgotten a birthday or a holiday before, and had no intention of   
doing so now. Jed sighed. "You can't come along?" he asked. "I'd   
rather if you did."

"I can't just go with you, Jed." Abbey stood up to face   
him. "I have a schedule to keep, too. I can't just pick up and   
follow you all over the country." Abbey was trying to keep her   
emotions in check, not making time for their personal lives was not   
acceptable.

When Jed and Abbey had realized during the campaign that he   
might actually win, they'd had a little discussion. Abbey had given   
Jed her full support, but she also let him know what she expected   
from him in return. It had been the ultimate compromise, they both   
got what they wanted with little debate.

 

Manchester- 7 weeks before election day:

"Hey, Leo." Abbey said as they passed one another outside of   
the kitchen.

"Hey, Abbey." Leo smiled at her as they paused in the middle   
of the room to talk. Leo had just come in from the back porch where   
he had just left Governor Bartlet. They were all at the farm in   
Manchester during a lull in the campaign trail. The Senior Staffers   
were staying at an Inn in town and Leo was staying in the guestroom   
while they were there. "How are you holding up?" he asked her.

Abbey shrugged. "I'm okay." she replied. She leaned against   
the hutch against the wall and sighed. "It's looking good, isn't   
it?" she asked.

Leo nodded. "We've gotten some pretty good numbers." he   
admitted. When Abbey looked at the floor he added, "It's really too   
early to tell."

She met his eyes and nodded. "Yeah." she said softly.

Leo didn't want to get involved in the Bartlets personal   
life, but he'd been curious as to whether or not Abbey was really   
fully on board with this. This was a huge step in their lives, and   
she had seemed reluctant from the very beginning. He knew how deeply   
Jed and Abbey felt for one another. He'd even seen over the years   
how strongly they've stuck by one another through all kinds of   
turmoil. That's also why he noticed that Abbey seemed to be not   
completely embracing her husband's run. "He's out there." Leo said,   
when she peered through the doors that led out to the porch. "He's   
alone." he said softly.

"Yeah." Abbey said. She'd been meaning to talk to Jed for   
weeks. Each day that they got closer to Super Tuesday, their chances   
got better and better. She was fine with this, she had been since   
she and Jed first talked about it alone. But, she was terribly   
afraid. She was afraid for Jed's health. She was afraid that he's   
lose. She was super afraid that he'd win. She knew that if he did,   
that their lives would spin out of control.

"Good luck." Leo said, walking off.

Abbey braced herself for the road that lay ahead. Jed was   
lounging back in the wicker chaise lounge, his feet crossed at the   
ankles. He had on jeans and a polo shirt, his bangs hanging over his   
forehead. He looked up as she approached and smiled just at the   
sight of her. She had on her long silk robe, tied at the waist. On   
her feet, she was wearing her fuzzy slippers. "Hi, there." he   
grinned, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"Hi." she smiled down at him. She climbed into his lap and   
brushed the hair from his eyes.

"You look comfortable." he said softly. "You going to bed?" 

"I was thinking about it." she said, looking into his eyes.

After a long pause, and Abbey suddenly focusing her   
attention to the buttons on his shirt, he asked, "Something you'd   
like to say?" he slid his hands around her waist, clasping his hands   
together on her lower back.

She nodded, she ran her hands up to rest on his shoulders,   
she looked into his eyes. "You're going to win…" she whispered, as   
if it were their own little secret.

Jed nodded. "Maybe." he said. "We've talked about this…"

"I know, I just wanted to say that…" her attention was again   
drawn to the buttons on his shirt, as were her fingers.

Jed tugged on her waist, "What?" he asked her gently.

She looked up into his eyes again, "I just wanted to say   
that I support you one hundred percent." she nodded, "I just wanted   
you to know that."

"I already know that, sweet-heart." he said, tipping her   
chin to tilt her head back up so that he could see her face. "You're   
here to lay down the law." he smiled. "So, let's hear it."

Abbey sighed. "I know it will be different than you being   
Governor. I know that you'll be busy and occupied much much more   
than I am used to. And I know that you will need to focus on the   
job first, and I accept that. I know you will have to devote most of   
your time to other people, mainly your staff." Jed nodded, that part   
had been happening already. "And I accept that, as well."

"Yeah," he nodded again, "But…?"

"But, I don't want you to forget whose bed you sleep in."   
she smiled at him. "You can do whatever you need to do for this job,   
it's the most important job anyone could ever have. But at the end   
of the day, you are still my husband."

Jed nodded. "Yeah, how could I ever forget that?" he asked   
softly, smiling.

"I mean that you need to remember that I can help you   
through this." she said. "I know there will be a lot that you can't   
share with me, and that is fine, but I can help you." she smiled and   
cupped his face in her hands. "Emotionally and physically." 

"Oh, I see." he nodded, his eyes were drawn to her ample   
cleavage.

"No…" Abbey grinned, pulling his face up to look at her. "I   
mean, sometimes you are going to be stressed out beyond imagination,   
and I want you to remember that you still have me."

"Okay." he smiled. "What else?" he knew there was more.

"You will be out of my daily routine much more, I understand   
that." she said. "They will monopolize your time." she kissed his   
lips tenderly. "But, sometimes, I will need to come first. Now, I'll   
try not to be needy, but I'm sure sometimes I will need you to focus   
on me, first."

Jed was silent for a moment. "Abbey, you will always come   
first." he whispered.

She shook her head, "No, I won't. Well, at least I will in   
your mind, but I understand-"

Jed cut her off. "This is not going to affect our   
relationship." he promised.

"You don't know that." she shook her head. 

"We won't let it." he said.

"Then we have to work on not letting it." she said. "I will   
try not to put my foot down, but if I do, Jed, then you have to take   
it seriously." she warned. "I won't be doing it for selfish reasons,   
my reasons will be valid."

Jed nodded again. "Okay." he said softly.

"We are still the same people. We still have the same needs,   
and wants. I don't want you forgetting about family traditions or   
vacations, or…"

Jed grinned. "I won't." he said. "Baby, how could I ever   
forget about us?"

"I'm not saying you'll forget, I'm saying, you will be pre-  
occupied." she stated. "I don't want to have to hunt you down in the   
halls of the White House to remind you that it is my birthday, or   
worse, one of your daughters' birthdays." she said. "I want you to   
stay who you are, baby." she leaned her forehead against his.

"Abbey, I promise." Jed said.

"So, if I'm a good girl while your President, then you will   
give me what I want when I ask for it?" she asked.

"Even if you're a bad girl, I'll give you what you want,   
gorgeous." he swore.

"Okay," she slid her hands down his torso, and kissed him   
hard on his mouth. "so, if it comes down to, let's say Josh having a   
problem and needing your attention," her voice grew husky with   
passion then, "or I have a problem and desperately need your   
attention…" she smiled.

"Oh, you definitely win out over Josh." he replied in a   
voice full of need. He pulled her to rest against him, sliding his   
hands to open up her robe. "In more ways than one…" he grinned as he   
pressed his lips to the swell of her breasts.

"Perhaps…" Abbey closed her eyes to focus on Jed's   
attention, "Perhaps, we should seal the deal…in our bedroom…" she   
choked out.

"I think here is just fine…" he grinned, pulling her robe   
apart further and running his hands along her body. "Remember, I'm   
about to be the President, what I say goes."

"Except for when I make the rules…" she teased.

And so Abbey and Jed made one compromise after another, so   
that if he became President it would not affect their relationship.

 

Present day

And now it was affecting their relationship. He had   
forgotten Valentines day, for the first time in over thirty years.   
That was a problem for Abbey. 

"Come with me, Abbey." he said again.

Abbey sighed. "Jed, this is important to me…" Jed crossed   
the room to take her into his arms. "You promised that we would work   
on this job not affecting our relationship, and it is already!" she   
sobbed. "This is our first Valentine's day since we moved into the   
White House."

"Abbey, I want you to come with me." he said. "We can have a   
romantic dinner, we can dance, we can drink champagne, all in the   
most romantic suite of the most elegant hotel in Chicago. You can   
have me all to yourself all night long." he kissed the top of her   
head.

But for Abbey, that was too little, too late. Jed had   
already forgotten to remember the most romantic day of the year. And   
worse, he had forgotten that he had promised to never do that to her   
to begin with.


	2. What Matters Most

Abbey sat at her desk on Saturday afternoon, taking phone   
calls and doing a little light office work. She leaned back in her   
chair and sighed heavily, turning slightly so that she could see out   
the window. It was a lovely day, the sun was shining, and it was   
considerably warm for February in D.C. She had decided to come down   
to the East wing and do a little catch-up work after Jed and half of   
his staff left for Chicago earlier that day.

She had grown bored with the stillness of the residence, and   
so she wandered down here. She figured that if she did something   
constructive, that her heart would not feel so heavy. She and Jed   
had a slight argument the other night after she could not convince   
him to change his plans.

He had desperately wanted her to accompany him to the windy   
city, but Abbey, of course was being stubborn. She felt that he had   
missed the point completely, they'd made an agreement. Jed acted   
like it was the most normal thing in the world to just waltz off and   
leave her without even telling her anytime he wanted. It would be   
different if he would make sure that someone at least tried to   
compare their two very different schedules every once in awhile. But   
half of the time he didn't even know where he was going himself!

The whole point was that this was their very first   
Valentines day as the First Couple. She felt like this was going to   
set a precedence over the rest of the term. It wasn't that Jed was   
working all week-end, she was used to that. And who would she be to   
complain about the hours he keeps when he put up with her ultra   
hectic schedule all these years from one hospital to the next. She   
could deal with him working, even on a holiday. She could not deal   
with him not even considering the fact that they would be hundreds   
of miles apart, in this particular day.

She should have gone with him, she thought. She sighed   
again, she had to take a stand. And now, because of it, she was   
spending a day that is meant for celebrating with the one you love,   
all alone. Stupid, she thought to herself, just stupid.

The phone rang, startling her, because she was so deep in   
her remorse. She picked it up, "Hello?"

"Abbey?" Jed said.

"Yeah?" she almost smiled, but then she remembered that she   
didn't deserve to smile. At least not after she pitched such a fit   
with her husband, acting more like one of his children instead of   
his wife. In short, Abbey just felt guilty.

"We're here." he said. "I just wanted to let you know that   
we landed in one piece." she could tell that he was smiling into the   
phone.

"I'm glad." she said honestly, she always worried about him   
when they were apart. "How's the weather?" she asked.

"It looks great, from what I can see." he said, leaning to   
look out the window. "We're still on the plane… Ron tells me its   
fifty degrees."

"That's good," she said, allowing a smile. "Because you left   
your coat in the bedroom."

She could tell he was grinning slyly. "Did I?" he asked.

She smiled again. "I miss you already." she admitted.

"I missed you before I even got on the plane, doll." he said.

"Aw…Jed…" she closed her eyes, trying to picture him,   
sitting, leaning his elbows on his knees, just as comfortable as you   
please.

"So, I guess since you decided to stay home all alone that   
I'll just have to have a romantic dinner with Leo instead of you."   
he teased. "Maybe I'll give CJ your present…"

"Jed, don't start." she already felt guilty enough. But she   
was going to prove her point if it killed her, damn it. "Maybe I'll   
give yours to Toby." she mocked.

"Go ahead, then." he bluffed her.

"I don't think you want anyone else getting what I'm talking   
about…" she sang.

"That's not funny." he stated, suddenly serious. "We'll do   
it Monday night, I guess."

Abbey nodded. "Okay." she said reluctantly.

"Set something up." he said. "Baby, I gotta go, now. I'll   
call you later tonight, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." she said. "Love you."

"Love you, too." he smiled. The phone clicked, and she was   
left all alone again. She hung the phone up and sighed again, before   
getting up and going to the empty residence.

 

Abbey never really got to the residence. When she passed   
through the outer office to the Oval, on her way upstairs, she went   
into Jed's office. She sat in his chair and was overcome with the   
reality of not seeing Jed this weekend. 

That is where Mrs. Landingham found her almost an hour   
later, sitting in her husbands chair, looking lost and forlorn. At   
first, Delores thought she was seeing things, she walked quietly   
into the office and stood in front of the desk. Abbey looked so   
small and delicate compared to the President, who was usually loud   
and rambunctious.

"Mrs. Bartlet?" she said.

Abbey's head shot in her direction, like she'd just been   
woken up. She was so deep in thought that she looked like she were   
in a daze. "Oh, Mrs. Landingham." Abbey said, then smiled at her,   
half heartedly.

"Are you allright, Ma'am?" Delores asked tenderly.

"Uh," Abbey sighed. "Yeah, I'm okay, just a little bored…"

"You look upset." Delores said. She was never one to mix   
words, or to prance around them either. She was usually right to the   
point, and since she'd known Abbey for quite a few years, she didn't   
beat around the bush with her at all.

"I was just…" Abbey looked around, as if searching for her   
words.

"Missing the President?" she asked, knowingly.

Abbey sighed, no point in lying. "Yes." she said.

"Why?" Delores asked.

Abbey frowned. "Why? Because he's not here, and he won't be   
back for two more days." she said, as if Mrs. Landingham was not   
aware of her boss' schedule. "And Sunday…" she trailed off.

"Sunday is Valentines day." Mrs. Landingham said. "I thought   
you might have wanted to go with him." she said.

"I wanted to stay here." Abbey said, blushing. She knew that   
Delores could see right through her little lie. She knew what Abbey   
was doing, trying to teach Jed a lesson. But she also knew that   
there wasn't much of one in this case. Abbey was being silly, and   
they both knew it.

"You wanted to stay here, all alone?" Mrs. Landingham   
certainly was clever.

"No." Abbey admitted. "I wanted to be with my husband on   
Valentines day, and he had other plans." she defended herself   
immediately.

"I'm sure it wasn't intentional." Delores said, gently. "You   
know how he is with dates and names."

"I just …" Abbey sighed. "I wanted to have a special night,   
a little romance, you know…"

"I see." Delores said, then looked down at the floor. "I   
would too, but…"

Abbey hung her head. Mrs. Landinghams husband was deceased,   
and here Abbey was feeling sorry for herself! "I'm sorry, Mrs.   
Landingham. I didn't mean to… I didn't think."

"It's okay." Delores smiled at her. "Maybe you should call   
him, it'll make you feel better."

"No it won't." Abbey said. "I think I made a mistake." she   
admitted. "I was trying to prove a point, but really, it's not even   
worth it." Abbey stood. "I don't think it matters how or why, or   
even where, just as long as we're together."

Delores nodded. "I agree." She turned to walk out of the   
door, "Call him." she said again.

Abbey smiled. "Thanks Mrs. Landingham." she said. That was   
just what Abbey needed, someone to shine some light on the subject   
to make her realize that she needed to apologize to her husband. And   
so, upstairs she went, to call her husband.

But first, she was going to call up and have a dozen roses   
sent to Mrs. Landinghams office on Monday. One with a Happy   
Valentines Day card that read Thank you.

TBC


	3. What Matters Most

"You're sure you don't want to get in on the card game?" Leo   
asks Jed as they are walking through the lobby of the hotel. "I'll   
let you win a few hands…" he grinned slyly at the President.

Jed shook his head, "What do you mean, you'll let me win?"   
they stepped onto the private elevator, accompanied by three Secret   
Service Agents. Leo laughed at him. "Nah, I think I'm going to go to   
my suite and call Abbey again.

"Yeah, you're so whipped." Leo grinned.

"Jealous?" Jed teased.

"A little." Leo smiled.

"You know, you think it would be a problem to cancel this   
impromptu thing tomorrow?" he asked Leo. "I would like to go home   
and be with Abbey tomorrow."

"Cut the trip short?" Leo asked slightly surprised. "Really?"

Jed shrugged. "Just a thought." he sighed. "I gotta admit,   
I'd rather be with my wife on Valentines day than be with you and   
Josh and Sam." he smiled at Leo.

"Whatever you want to do, Sir." Leo says, as they stepped   
from the elevator.

"Thanks Leo." Jed said, as they both walked in opposite   
directions to their respective rooms. Jed walked into his suite and   
made his way to the telephone. He sat down wearily on the bed,   
pulling his tie free while the phone rang and rang on the other   
end. "Where in the hell are you, Abbey?" he asked, when the phone   
did not connect. He slammed the receiver down in frustration,   
perhaps with a little too much force, he realized in hindsight.

"You break it, you bought it." her voice said.

Jed whirled around to see his wife sitting in a chair, near   
the extravagant fireplace, that he hadn't noticed was lit until now.   
He smiled, he should have known she would follow him. "I knew you   
couldn't be without me for too long." he smirked. "What are you   
doing here?" he asked, crossing the room as she rose from the chair.

Abbey smiled. "I missed you." she said. "And I wanted to   
apologize for my behavior, the other night." she admitted. "I don't   
want to fight with you, I'm sorry." she said softly.

"Really?" he asked.

Abbey nodded. "Yes, really." she said and Jed smiled. She   
hung her head and mumbled something else, that he did not catch.

"What?' he asked her.

"I said that I was wrong." she said.

"Did you just say that you were wrong?" he asked, his eyes   
wide. "You're admitting to being wrong?" 

"It's not the first time, Jed, geez." she smiled. "It was   
silly of me to pick a fight with you, instead of just coming with   
you and making the best of things." she said. "I guess the   
circumstances that surround us at any point in time don't matter   
when it comes to our feelings toward one another." she smiled up at   
him. "I meant well."

Jed nodded. "Okay." he said. "I guess I can forgive you. It   
looks as if you thought long and hard about making it up to me." he   
eyed the champagne and the vases of flowers that had been placed   
throughout the suite. "I hope you got me a present." 

Abbey grinned. "Of course I did."

"Is it under this robe?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows and   
pulling her against him.

"Maybe one of them." she whispered.

"I get two presents?" he asked in his excited voice. "Well,   
I know which one I want to open first…" he stepped back from her and   
allowed her to pull the long silk robe open. He gasped as Abbey   
revealed to him her very naughty black lace bra. She placed one   
stiletto clad foot up on the table as he ran a finger along her   
smooth leg. He ran his hand all the way up to cup her rear, and   
finger her lace thong. "I like this." he growled, kissing her deeply   
on the lips.

"I thought you might." she whispered into his ear, cupping   
his head in her hands, guiding his mouth on her neck. By the time   
that he had nuzzled into her breasts, gently nudging the lace   
material out of his way with his tongue, Abbey was close to being on   
fire for him. She had been thinking about him all day, then after   
she put on her sexy get-up and waited in the dark for him, she grew   
so much more aroused. She was working on getting his shirt out of   
the way when he took a nipple into his mouth to bite her. 

Jed's shirt was forgotten, along with his tie when they both   
slid to the floor. And while Jed was running his hands along her   
flat stomach and her shapely hips, she let her hands wander further   
south. Within moments she had his slacks around his ankles, and her   
hands slid down the back of his boxers.

She pulled his head back to her face to kiss him hard on his   
mouth while he attempted to kick off his shoes. It took him a few   
minutes, but as soon as he was free of everything but his boxers, he   
surprised her by lifting her into his arm. She smiled as he carried   
her to the bed like he'd carried her over the threshold when they   
were married. He laid her down gently on the huge bed and very   
slowly began kissing her all along her body. He gently suckled her   
wherever he removed clothing from her, paying an awful lot of   
attention to her breasts, she noticed.

Every second that Jed spent lavishing her hot body with his   
mouth, her lower body was on fire. She felt her body pulsing beneath   
him, then felt his fingers slip gently inside of her moist center.   
She automatically jerked her thighs apart as she let out a small   
moan. She felt him probing deeper inside of her with every second,   
easily accessing her slick folds. Then she felt his finger on her   
clit and she gasped, she wanted him now. Her heart was beating and   
her breath was ragged, as she pulled his boxers down his hips, and   
caressed the tip of his swollen penis.

She glanced down to look at his gorgeous body, his firm   
chest, his strong arms. Her body grew hotter as she stared at him   
and ran her finger along the ridge of his hard masculinity.

"Now, Jed." she gasped, urging him to enter her. Jed smiled   
as he slowly entered her, like he had thousands of times before.

After he initiated himself, their bodies seemed to explode   
with one endless thrust after another. Abbey wanted him so deep   
inside of her that she couldn't stand it. She thrust her hips up   
toward him, as he thrust downward.

Again and again they collided with one another in a fiery   
passion that grew and grew for many moments. Jed rolled over and let   
Abbey take the lead for a few minutes, just watching her make love   
to him.

When he sensed that she was almost ready for her   
fulfillment, he rolled them back over, thrusting relentlessly into   
her. As her body began to convulse around his, her legs quivered and   
she closed her eyes in complete bliss calling out his name over and   
over.

Jed kept moving until he thought his legs were going to give   
out on him, Abbey still trembling beyond control when he finally   
gave in himself. Jed jerked and moaned deeply as he filled her with   
every ounce of his being, sweat dripping down his body. But, Jed did   
not stop after he climaxed, he moved slowly within her, while Abbey   
summoned all of her strength to hold him tight against her and suck   
on his neck.

Once Jed finally slowed to a stop, Abbey reached a hand up   
to gently brush his bangs from his face, before Jed lay himself down   
on top of her. They lay there together, their sweat glistened bodies   
practically sticking to one another. Jed rested his head on her   
shoulder, holding her tightly at the hips.

She kissed the top of his head, running her hands through   
his damp locks. She sighed deeply once she had gotten her breath.   
Oh, this was much better than fighting, she thought. She ran her   
hands down his back, rubbing his tight muscles. "You okay?" she   
whispered.

Jed nodded, kissed her shoulder and raised up on his arms to   
pull out of her. They both winced as he withdrew form her, hating to   
break apart, like always. "Oh, that part sucks." he frowned, falling   
onto the bed beside of her. He pulled her to rest against him when   
he got comfortable, she resting her head against his chest. Abbey   
focused on his heartbeat, her lifeline, as he stroked her hair and   
she stroked his chest. "Glad you came, sweet-heart." he said softly.

"Me too, Jed." she smiled up at him, and leaned to give him   
a sweet kiss on his lips. Abbey was content, she had made it to her   
husband and they'd made up just in time. She thought, glancing at   
the clock that read 12:44. "Happy Valentines day." she purred.

Jed grinned down at her. "Happy Valentines day, babe." he   
sighed, then sat up. "Now, where's my present?" he asked, rubbing   
his hands together.

Abbey laughed, sitting up to join him. The little boy in   
him, ever present, excited about a gift. Some things never change,   
and what matters the most usually stays the same.

 

Epilogue:

Jed never did cut the trip short, and Abbey stayed with   
him. On Sunday night, the Bartlets invited the Staff members to have   
dinner with them at a local five star restaurant, and afterwards,   
they all went dancing. Jed and Abbey ended up having another   
romantic night in their hotel suite, and the next day there were   
pictures of their romantic evening all over the newspapers.(the   
public parts, not the private ones..) 

On Monday when they returned to the White House, Abbey was   
there just in time to see the look on Mrs. Landinghams face when she   
received her flowers. The older woman caught Abbey's eye just as   
tear escaped down her cheek. That's when Abbey remembered that it's   
the thought that counts. And from her recent experiences, those   
thoughts were indeed priceless.

 

End


End file.
